Self-balancing vehicle with gravity control

• US 10,059,397 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2016
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bingqiang Zhu, Deyi Pi, Hui Zheng
• Original Assignee: Bingqiang Zhu, Deyi Pi, Hui Zheng
• Inventors: Zheng, Hui, Pi, Deyi, Zhu, Bingqiang
• Primary Examiner(s): Dager, Jonathan M
• Application Number:
  US15/130,914
• Publication Number:
  US 20170297653A1
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 11/003 Electric or electronic control systems
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 25/04 Floor-type foot rests
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/412 Speed sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/4151 for sensing lateral inclination of the cycle
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 45/4152 for sensing longitudinal inclination of the cycle
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 11/007 Automatic balancing machines with single main ground engaging wheel or coaxial wheels supporting a rider
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 21/12 Handlebars; Handlebar stems
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 2202/00 Motorised scooters
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 3/002 without a seat, i.e. the rider operating the vehicle in a standing position, e.g. non-motorized scooters; non-motorized scooters with skis or runners
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 7/12 with the engine beside or within the driven wheel

Abstract

A two-wheel, self-balancing vehicle comprises a first wheel and a second wheel, spaced apart and substantially parallel to one another; a foot placement section connecting the first wheel and the second wheel; a set of position sensors in the foot placement section, the set of position sensors configured to generate inclination angle signals and velocity signals of the two-wheel, self-balancing vehicle; a first gravity sensor and a second gravity sensor in the foot placement section, the first gravity sensor and the second gravity sensor configured to generate weight signals and gravity angle signals. In addition, the two-wheel, self-balancing vehicle comprises a control logic configured to output control signals that control the movement of the two-wheel, self-balancing vehicle in response to the inclination angle signals, the velocity signals, the weight signals, and the gravity angle signals.

Claims

1. A two-wheel, self-balancing vehicle comprising:

a first wheel and a second wheel, the first wheel and the second wheel being spaced apart and substantially parallel to one another;

a foot placement section connecting the first wheel and the second wheel;

a set of position sensors in the foot placement section, the set of position sensors configured to generate inclination angle signals and velocity signals of the two-wheel, self-balancing vehicle;

a first gravity sensor and a second gravity sensor in the foot placement section, the first gravity sensor and the second gravity sensor configured to generate weight signals and gravity angle signals;

a control logic configured to output control signals that control the movement of the two-wheel, self-balancing vehicle in response to the inclination angle signals, the velocity signals, the weight signals, and the gravity angle signals.

2. The two-wheel, self-balancing vehicle of claim 1, wherein the set of position sensors comprises an accelerometer sensor and a gyroscope sensor.

3. The two-wheel, self-balancing vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first gravity sensor is located in the left part of the foot placement section and the second gravity sensor is located in the right part of the foot placement section.

4. The two-wheel, self-balancing vehicle of claim 1, wherein the control logic is configured to compare a desired balance angle of the two-wheel, self-balancing vehicle with the inclination angle signals.

5. The two-wheel, self-balancing vehicle of claim 4, wherein the desired balance angle is a function of a speed of the first wheel or the second wheel.

6. The two-wheel, self-balancing vehicle of claim 1, wherein the center portion of the foot placement section is attached to at least one sensor or at least one accessory.

7. The two-wheel, self-balancing vehicle of claim 6, wherein the at least one sensor includes at least one of a temperature sensor, a light sensor, a moisture sensor, or a location sensor.

8. The two-wheel, self-balancing vehicle of claim 6, wherein the at least one accessory includes at least one of a camera, a camera mount, or a storage component.

9. The two-wheel, self-balancing vehicle of claim 1, wherein a pole is attached to the center portion of the foot placement section.

10. The two-wheel, self-balancing vehicle of claim 1, wherein the foot placement section comprises one generally flat plane with room for accommodating two human feet.

11. The two-wheel, self-balancing vehicle of claim 1, wherein each of the first gravity sensor and the second gravity sensor senses a pressure of a human foot placed on the foot placement section.

12. The two-wheel, self-balancing vehicle of claim 1, further comprises a third gravity sensor and a fourth gravity sensor, wherein the first gravity sensor is located at the left front part of the foot placement section, the second gravity sensor is located at the left rear part of the foot placement section, the third gravity sensor is located at the right front of the foot placement section, and the fourth gravity sensor is located at the right rear of the foot placement section.

13. The two-wheel, self-balancing vehicle of claim 12, wherein the first, second, third and fourth gravity sensors are configured to generate three-dimensional gravity angle signals.

14. The two-wheel, self-balancing vehicle of claim 1, further comprises a gravity sensor array located in the left part of the foot placement section or the right part of the foot placement section.